Five tips for finding the perfect table

Recommended Video:

Since playing casino poker in Las Vegas is often such a random experience, it's always extra special when you find a seat at a good, juicy table.

Game selection is one of the most important decisions a player can make, yet it's so often dismissed for head-scratching reasons.

To put it into perspective, let's be complimentary and grant you the title as the ninth-best poker player in the world. Provided you are free of bad beats, you could take a seat nearly anywhere, and you'd have an expectation to come out ahead.

However, if you were to take a seat against the world's top eight players, you would be facing a negative expectation, and it would be foolish to proceed with the game.

Here are five tips for finding that perfect, winning table in Las Vegas:

Scout out the scene: Smaller casinos may only have a single table in play, but most major poker rooms will provide an assortment of games and stakes. If two or more tables exist in the game of your choosing, spend a few minutes soaking in each one from a distance and take into account chip stacks, pace of play, quality of the hands winning at showdown and the mood.

Once you've picked one, instruct the floor manager which table you prefer when a seat becomes open. Most managers will happily cater to your request, but holding out for a particular table may result in a longer wait. It's worth it.

Late is great: One of the many great things about Las Vegas is that it's a 24-hour city. Provided you are capable of transforming into a night owl effectively, that is the perfect time to sit down because the majority can't. I love the 10 p.m.-5 a.m. window.

Late games are also likely to seat intoxicated players, which is always a good thing because they make for easy targets with reckless play. Catch a group of them, and they may pay for your trip.

Table talkers: Poker is a social game, and it's best enjoyed when everybody at the table is talking and having fun. Not only does it help pass the time when you aren't involved in a hand, it's common for players to give away information verbally that can help you in subsequent hands. If a table is overly quiet, strongly consider a switch.

Go where the money is: Don't be scared away by lots of big chip stacks. The players that have them may have accumulated that money through dumb luck, and if it wasn't, it's easy to avoid one or two players if the others can be beaten. You always want to win the maximum with your big hands, and it's easier to do that when there's more money on the table.

Lay low: Casinos that are known for poker are less likely to attract recreational players. So if low-limit games are your preference, instead of playing at the Bellagio, Mirage or Wynn, consider alternatives such as the Palms, Flamingo or Golden Nugget. It's better to take advantage of tourists trying their hand at poker than experienced players.